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Thursday, July 28, 2011

Interview with Author - Cypher Lx - Darkest Before Dawn

Where were you born and where do you call home? I was born and raised in Pennsylvania. Despite the hot summers and cold winters, I still live here. Right between NYC and Philadelphia.

How long have you been writing? And is writing your full time occupation? Theoretically, I have been writing since I have been able to put my thoughts to paper. Mostly, it was either for fun or to turn my nightmares into something creative. I didn't start in earnest until a couple of years ago. But my full-time occupation is in law enforcement.

What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 30 or less words, what would you say? The most recent would be my work in progress, The Cold of Night. It is a continuation of Darkest Before Dawn and is told in part from Detective Winters' perspective. Taking place once again in Philadelphia, more of the mystery will unravel as others begin.

If you gave some of your characters an opportunity to speak for themselves, what would they say? Elissa Greyfield would more than likely call me a heartless bitch for doing so many awful things to her and would follow through with a good ass kicking. Sean Winters would read me my Miranda Rights as he was slapping the cuffs on me and pushing me into the back of his Crown Vic. Michael Sheridan would watch silently from the shadows. And Sage? She would probably laugh.

Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series? Not only am I writing The Cold of Night which is the second book in the Throughout the Night series, but I am also planning for two more after that. Who knows where the characters will take me after the fourth? Or they may just call it quits. I also have other ideas for books that are unrelated.

What or who inspired you to write? During the past six years, I have been going to school full-time for psychology with a concentration in forensics (which I am proud to say, I have a Bachelor's Degree in now). About two years ago, one of my psych professors talked me into publishing my work. I finished Darkest Before Dawn, self-published it earlier this year and dedicated it to him.

How did you come up with the title and cover design? Many people are familiar with the phrase "It's always darkest just before the dawn." This phrase carried a lot of meaning and double meaning when it came to the content of the book. The cover design is from Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia which plays a huge role in story. I frequently go there for their night tours and take photographs. The cover is one of those.

Have you based any of your characters on someone you know, or real events in your own life? Some of the characters are based on real people and others are purely from my imagination. I make it a habit to study human behavior and I integrate that into my work. I will admit that while Elissa has certain aspects of me, most of her characteristics are not mine. Sage is more like me when I'm not working my mundane job. She has a morbid sense of humor and I get a lot of pleasure placing myself in her mind. But she is also a bit of a control freak. As far as events, there are elements in Darkest Before Dawn, such as the club scene, which I have been a part of and still do when I get the chance. I am very much a Goth girl myself and tried to place the subculture in a more positive light. I have read too many books where the author writes Goth scenes and makes it sound freakish and evil. In reality, we are like everyone else with the same concerns and problems. We just dress differently and have an appreciation for darker things. It's basic psychology. People fear what they don't understand and they fear death even more. When encountered by both things simultaneously, they go into synaptic overload and run the other way.

What books have most influenced your writing most and why? I try not to let other books influence my writing. I read a lot. Sometimes a book a day. As I read and see recurring elements in different books, I steer very far away. I want my writing to be different from what I've read.

Is there an Author that you would really like to meet? Gosh, there are so many. I would love to meet each author that I have spoken to online. We give each other support in our endeavors and it's great to hear when they've had success. I would also love to meet Lara Adrian and give her a big hug. I'm kind of a sucker for vampire romance and I am absolutely addicted to her novels.

Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks or hardcover? It all depends. I prefer hardcover for the classics, especially when they are printed in leather-bound editions. One day, I'd like to have a classy looking library with those editions on the shelves. Paperbacks are great when you are reading a long series and don't want to spend a fortune on hardcover, but still want the feel of turning a page while sipping your favorite drink and relaxing. Ebooks are great when you want to read while you are traveling. You can literally carry a hundred different books with you and not be weighed down.

Where do you prefer to buy your books? If I'm browsing and want a real book in hand, I'll go to a bookstore like B & N. But if I'm buying ebooks, I download onto my Kindle.

Are you a self published (Indie) Author? Yes. I attempted the find-an-agent route, but after a few rejections, realized that I wasn't going to get anywhere unless I took things into my own hands. They look for specific things and I tend to mix genres. I don't think they like that very much.

Have you ever read a book more than once? Yes. Especially if I'm reading a long series and need to remember certain details that occurred several books back.

Is there a particular movie that you preferred over the book version? C. S. Splitter mentioned "Dune" and I have to agree. So if he's reading this, no you're not the only person alive who thinks that. There's at least two of us. Usually though, I like the book better than the movie. I get certain imagery in my head and I'm usually disappointed when it doesn't match up. I don't understand the butchery involved in filmmaking. Having gone to school for film myself, if I ever had the opportunity to create a movie from a book, I would make every effort to consult with the author and make it as true as possible. I truly hope I'm not let down when Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter comes out.

What book are you currently reading and in what format (ebook/paperback/hardcover)? Eternal Kiss: Mark of the Vampire by Laura Wright on Kindle. Like I said, I'm a sucker for vampire romance.

What book do you know that you will never read? I can't name a particular book, but I will never read books that are nothing but happy sunshine and fluffy clouds. Give me real people with real problems (or supernatural creatures with even worse problems) any day of the week. I don't like anything that is so happy that it makes me feel like my life is horrible when I'm done.

Are there any new Authors that have grasped your interest and why? Patti Roberts. Yes, I know it sounds like I'm being biased. But Paradox is truly a work of art and I can't wait to read more.

Is there anything you would change in your last book and why? Probably. I am a stickler for detail and I have found that I have to rework my thoughts for this next book in order for it to work perfectly with what I've already written. It's the curse of writing a series, I suppose. It would be easier if I could just go back and change a couple of things here and there instead of puzzling it all out. But then, how much fun would that be?

Do you have a book trailer? I actually have two. One for each of my published works. They can be found on YouTube.

What are your thoughts on book trailers? I like to think of them as mini movie trailers. If you can hook the viewer, they'll come back for more. I have no idea how well they work though.

Do you have any advice for other writers? Just write. Get all those thoughts down even if they're out of order. You can go back later and tie everything together. Don't worry about editing until you have the whole story out. Always carry a notepad with you. Even if you normally type everything, you never know when inspiration will strike and you may not be anywhere near a keyboard.

What is the best advice that you have ever been given when it comes to writing? Write what you know. And if you don't know it, either do a ton of research or don't write about it. There's always someone out there who will call you on your lack of knowledge. Because of this, I took up Egyptian belly dancing and a specialty class in Saidi. It started off as research, but I do it as a form of exercise now.

Do you write under a pen name? Absolutely. Because of the nature of my full-time job, I had to choose a different name for my alternative modeling. That name became my pen name as well.

Do you ever write in your PJ’s? All the time. Well, unless I'm writing in a public place.

Patti Says: Do you write in public very often? I have heard of a few writers writing in coffee shops and I wonder what that would be like.

Cats or dogs? Four cats and a dog. Each one with their own distinct personality and psychosis.

Patti Says: Oh I have a cat called Little Miss - now that is one cat with a huge psychological problems. Nice Kitty, you can remove the teeth now!

White wine or red? Red. Definitely red. Sangria is my favorite.

Coffee or tea? Coffee. Total addict to caffeine.

Favorite food? Filet Mignon

Vanilla or chocolate icecream? I don't eat ice cream.

Patti Says: Can I have yours? I shouldn't but I do.....

What is a movie or TV show that you watched recently and really enjoyed? True Blood. I'm an Eric fan.

Cypher Lx leads a very busy life working full-time in law enforcement, part-time as an alternative model, and has a B.A. degree in Forensic Psychology. When she is not busy with those things, she participates in cowboy action shooting, makes Victorian gowns by hand, crochets, draws, reads and writes. She whole-heartedly believes in rescuing homeless animals and has five of her own adoptees. Most recently, she has taken up Egyptian bellydancing. While she enjoys reading vampire romance, her writing...Read more at Amazon's Cypher Lx Page

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview with me and allowing us a glimpse into your writing word.

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